Spouse capable of kidnap, rape? Would you know?
The most popular news story yesterday on AJC.com was about how the wife of a Snellville man accused of kidnapping and raping another woman is shocked by these accusations.
What do you want to talk about tomorrow? (We'll still use the losing topic just not tomorrow!)
- Sex and the divorcee? (58%, 23 Votes)
- Disney quiz with tips, strategies and photos? (42%, 17 Votes)
Total Voters: 40
Here are some excerpts from the AJC story:Loading ...
“No one is more shocked about the rape and kidnapping charges pending against Snellville businessman David Jansen than his wife of 24 years.”
” ‘She said this was not the husband and father that she had known,’ divorce attorney Margaret Washburn said Monday of her client, Christy Lynn Jansen. ‘They have known each other for 33 years. This was totally unexpected.’ ”
“Christy Jansen thought her husband was away on a business trip until an Atlanta Police officer showed up on her doorstep last week, Washburn said.”
“That’s when Christy Jansen, 46, learned what her husband allegedly kidnapped a 24-year-old woman in Atlanta on Tuesday, drove her to a rented cabin near Gatlinburg, Tenn., and raped her. Police said the kidnapping was foiled when a pizza deliveryman who brought Jansen dinner several hours later saw the captive woman and called 911.”
“Washburn said that Jansen’s wife had noticed his demeanor becoming more withdrawn and less active in the past four or five years. Washburn said it was not a change that Christy Jansen saw as a warning sign, and she did not know what brought on the change.”
“The Jansens have two children, a son, 22, and an 18-year-old daughter. She filed for divorce on Friday in Gwinnett County Superior Court.”
We obviously have no idea if this man is guilty of the crimes of which he’s accused, but the story does prompt some interesting philosophical questions:
1. Do you think you would know if your spouse were capable of kidnap or rape?
2. What about murder?
3. What about adultery?
4. If your husband were accused of these types of things, would you stand by your man?
5. Do you think it’s odd that this man’s wife filed for divorce so quickly? Would you file for divorce or wait and see what is proved out in court?
6. Do you think in talking to your spouse in jail that you would be able to determine for certain if he committed the crimes before it even went to trial?
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68 comments Add your comment
Razz
June 2nd, 2009
8:04 am
i thought we were gonna get a fun topic today after the serious one yesterday???!!!
Photius
June 2nd, 2009
8:17 am
Time for Theresa to pop a couple of happy pills meds and adjust those hormones b/c this ain’t a fun topic, babe!
Becky
June 2nd, 2009
8:50 am
1. yes
2. yes
3. yes
4. until proven not guilty
5. don’t know their history
6. yes
I agree with others, this is not a happy topic..
JJ
June 2nd, 2009
8:52 am
Makes me think of the BTK guy, he had been killing for YEARS and still went home to his wife and kids……
JJ
June 2nd, 2009
8:52 am
And NOT a happy topic…….see ya tomorrow, maybe…..
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
June 2nd, 2009
9:09 am
not happy but news driven — you guys are hard to please — I’ll do Disney quiz for tomorrow with strategies and photos.
JJ
June 2nd, 2009
9:20 am
We don’t want NEWS, we want FUN!!!!! :)
S
June 2nd, 2009
9:24 am
I went to high school with this guy, and I am SHOCKED! I don’t blame her one bit, I’d try to pull my life together, too! I just hope that she has a good network of friends and family, because she is going to need them desperately.
Michelle
June 2nd, 2009
9:24 am
With the news coming out that the woman accusing this man has been arrested before for making false rape allegations, the more appropriate question just might be, “is your spouse capable of falsely accusing someone of rape?”. This story was suspicious from the beginning. If he was really indeed holding her against her will, why would he not at least move her to a back room if he was going to order pizza – probably because this was a consentual thing and he assumed that she would keep the cover over the bondage until he shut the door. Sounds like a woman wanting attention way too much?????
By the way...
June 2nd, 2009
9:24 am
… David Jansen (The Fugitive)? I guess the one armed man really did NOT kill his wife!
Kristin
June 2nd, 2009
9:24 am
Yes I belive my husband is capable of rape and murder those are qualitys that I seek in a man. (eyes rolling)
Do you think honestly any rational person would be married to someone that they belived could be capable of such crimes? Scrap this topic please.
SDW
June 2nd, 2009
9:25 am
First and foremost, I am a male. Next, this is actually a very good topic. It could be easily expanded to include other crimes &/or issues such as wandering eyes, the use/abuse of illegal (or legal) drugs, shoplifting/petty theft, and a host of other things that are immoral (depending on who you ask). With some of them, a person may be knowledgeable of their spouse’s habits and also be complicit. It could then very well lead to larger things that an overwhelming majority of the population sees as immoral (i.e., rape).
Altogether, I am not holding her responsible for this guy’s horrific actions but I would not be surprised if she knew something was there (”gateway issues”) and did not divulge it (I don’t blame her).
1. Yes
2. Yes
3. H-E-double hockey sticks yes!
4. No (not married to her…but again, no)
5. Refer to last sentence.
6. H-E-double hockey sticks yes! Granted and sadly understandable, some people may not want to let go of their fantasy land and face reality.
Michelle
June 2nd, 2009
9:26 am
By the way, why would this woman wait to see what was proved in court? Even if it wasn’t rape, he still lied to her about where he was going and was having an affair. I would have done exactly what she did.
Michelle
June 2nd, 2009
9:27 am
For some reason, my 1st comment didn’t post so here goes again…..
Since this woman has been previously arrested for false allegations of rape, the more appropriate question would be “is your spouse capable of filing false police report and lying about being raped”?
JOe
June 2nd, 2009
9:27 am
This is a ridiculous story. How about – is your wife capable of having a lesbian affair with the queen of England? Anything is possible. Why worry about it?
DHB
June 2nd, 2009
9:28 am
I just had a convo about this with my husband. What a horrible feeling to think you know someone but you really don’t know what that person is capable of such horrible crimes. I personally don’t think my husband would do these any of these things, but who really thinks that of their spouse? The wife in the news story knew he had been doing these things and the evidence was there — she didn’t have to wait for a trial. In this situation, I probably would have divorced him as well…
tom
June 2nd, 2009
9:28 am
This is ridiculous — all indications are this guy is telling the truth.
soccer mom
June 2nd, 2009
9:30 am
Life is not all about happy. This is a serious issue that we all need to be aware that could happen in our own family. My heart breaks for Christy, here she was unaware thinking her life was fine then in a flash her whole world blew up. My prayers are with you Christy and your family.
Michelle
June 2nd, 2009
9:31 am
Did it not always seem odd that if this man was holding her hostage that he would not only order pizza but leave the bondaged woman in the living room while he answered the door? The logical explanation is that he was telling the truth about it being consentual and her liking the bondage thing so he assumed she would keep the cover over her hands while he answered the door; otherwise, he could have just moved her to the back room. Sounds to me like they may both have a few screws loose but especially knowing her past arrests and false allegations on more than one occasion and the fact that he got a bond very quickly for such a serious charge that the police are also questioning her truthfulness and that this man did something stupid by going off with a strange woman & cheating on his wife but doesn’t sound guilty of rape and kidnapping to me.
ryan
June 2nd, 2009
9:31 am
Before everybody convicts this guy maybe you should consider the fact that this woman has been arrested twice. Once for filing a false report that she had been rapped and another time for filing a false report that she had been assaulted. Remember the Duke Lacrosse case and the Kobe Bryant case?
Obviously he was still having an affair at the least so he is not exactly a good guy, but this girl seems pretty crazy.
Michelle
June 2nd, 2009
9:35 am
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/gwinnett/stories/2009/06/01/rape_accuser_arrest_record.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
Ryan – I thought I was the only one who was even considering that. On top of the 2 arrests, there was another incident where she claimed she was abducted and raped and was also found to be lying that time also although for some reason the police chose not to press charges that time so it’s actually at least 3 times…this woman is begging for attention and seems to have some mental issues.
sd
June 2nd, 2009
9:35 am
While I can’t put myself in this woman’s shoes and can’t imagine my spouse doing anything of this magnitude, I don’t doubt that my spouse is capable of evil. All people are, why would she be different?
Everyone has temptations. For some people, they may be tempted to take more than their share. For others, like this guy allegedly, they may have deeper evil temptations. Its not that you’re tempted, its that you give in to the temptation that makes you evil.
Michelle
June 2nd, 2009
9:35 am
I think sometimes a person may notice changes in their spouse and feel they have invested too much time/energy to get out. They may “wonder” what the other person may be capable of, but choose to wear the blinders or rose colored glasses.
No matter if he did/did not kidnap and rape this woman, he was still with her. So, either he was unfaithful, or he was involved in something highly illegal. I think she would be divorcing him in either case.
As for the specific questions, I think everyone is capable of murder/adultery under the “right” circumstances.
Pamela
June 2nd, 2009
9:36 am
I think that if his wife filed for divorce so fast she must have felt something about what he is accused of doing as being true.
I think almost any man is capable of rape.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
June 2nd, 2009
9:36 am
I think this is actually a good topic because I think people are capable of many, many things that you would never expect — two examples — I have a childhood friend in jail for murder. I’ve known this person for 30 years, did we ever think this person would be capable of murder? Absolutely not!! yet there he sits. You never know how people are processing things, how their minds are working, what stress they are under — what will make them snap!! You never hear someone when they’re interviewed go Yes, I totally thought my neighbor was a murderer!
On the adultery — two thoughts on this — we know a couple in their 60s and the husband was stepping out on the wife — what the heck! You would never expect that – the wife found out on her cell phone bill — I think it can happen to anyone, anytime —
Now my husband says couples are liars when they say they didn’t know the adultery was coming –but I don’t agree with that.
OOOh, I thought of another topic for tomorrow — sex and the divorcee! Maybe I’ll put up a quick poll — sex and the divorcee for tomorrow or disney — got to get Walsh to art camp but then I’ll make the poll.
Sam
June 2nd, 2009
9:37 am
1) My wife would not hurt a fly, so no to the acts of kidnapping and rape.
2) No – see my answer to question number 1.
3) Yes – but I hope not because I have always though of her as having better and stronger morals than anyone I know. However, given the right situation we are all capable of anything.
4) Yes – especially if she had facts to counter some of the claims.
5) No – I think his wife suspected he was cheating and was just waiting for the right moment to end it
6) Yes – unless your spouse is the world’s greatest con artist, you can tell when he/she is not telling you the truth.
To me this is a case of mentally unstable person (see todays AJC.com report of the woman making 3 false claims) and married,middle-age man who thought he had found his sexual fantasy come true but instead has just messed up his marriage and family for life.
amy
June 2nd, 2009
9:40 am
news driven? try sensationalist media driven. i mean really, if i wanted to see crap like this, i’d go watch nancy grace
Michelle1
June 2nd, 2009
9:43 am
For the record, the post at 9:35 was by a different Michelle than the 1st Michelle & I don’t think this man’s wife was necessarily wearing blinders. Sadly, too many husbands decide to cheat so that statement assumes that every man’s wife who cheats is wearing blinders and that isn’t always the case. Sometimes the men give no signs at all.
Also, this woman filing for a divorce so quick doesn’t make me think she had clues that something was wrong before; it just tells me that she is a smart lady who wants a divorce no matter if it was rape or consentual sex because she isn’t willing to be treated like that.
SDW
June 2nd, 2009
9:44 am
IF this lady is into bondage (her husband and past partners, if applicable, would know) we have a heckuva story on our hands……
*goes to microwave popcorn*
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
June 2nd, 2009
9:44 am
amy if you want sensational vote for the sex and the divorcees for tomorrow’s topic — I honestly just think about stuff like this — would you be shocked if a cop knocked on your door and told you this about your husband? do we ever really know the people we think we are the closest too? Can you people just crack and surprise you?
itamazesme
June 2nd, 2009
9:49 am
to sum it up…some people of capable of anything.
I would have filed for divorce just as quickly. Even if he is innocent of the charges that the young lady brought against him (which very well may be due to her history) he admitted that they were having an affair.
For her to do so rather quicky raises a red flag that she has suspected it for some time and only needed proof
whatever
June 2nd, 2009
9:55 am
Boy – this is whole mess is starting to sound like the beginnings of a great movie – I’m not sure if the “rape and kidnapping” thing is for real now (now that details about the alleged “victim” has come out). Has anyone from Hollywood called yet??
As far as the question about a spouse actually being able to commit such crimes – I say – heck yeah – the mind can be a terrible thing – propagating evil to unknown magnitudes. We all have those deep dark secrets or thoughts that, if ever taken seriously, we could do things we never thought we’d do.
Brown-Eyed Girl!
June 2nd, 2009
9:56 am
I learned many years ago to never say never. You don’t know what anyone is capable of when put in certain situations. Having said that, I do not believe my husband would be capable of murder, adultery or any crime for that matter. Now, If my husband was in the same situation as this guy, I would probably do the same thing his wife did. Why…because at the very least, adultery was committed. It wasn’t a happenstance. He lied about where he were going which shows premeditation. This is not a situation where the person was at the wrong place at the wrong time and something not planned happened. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be happy with a “it just happened” moment either, but maybe we can get through that. I can’t work with you if you planned out an affair.
Stu Bioge
June 2nd, 2009
10:02 am
Why is this even a part of a “news” site? A more important question would be: is the AJC capable of providing interesting and relevant news content without resorting to this type of ridiculousness?
DB
June 2nd, 2009
10:10 am
1. Do you think you would know if your spouse were capable of kidnap or rape? I’d like to think I’d know — in other words, I cannot believe that the man I have loved for over 30 years would commit such an act of violence.
2. What about murder? Not over something as trivial as a parking spot — but in defense of me or our children, yes.
3. What about adultery? I suppose any man can be tempted. It depends on their sense of honor and self-respect. I trust my husband’s, and unless there were some severely mitigating factors, I’d say no.
4. If your husband were accused of these types of things, would you stand by your man? Yes, on murder. Perhaps on adultery. Kidnapping and rape — hmm. If I thought him guilty, no way in hell. That’s a deal-breaker.
5. Do you think it’s odd that this man’s wife filed for divorce so quickly? Would you file for divorce or wait and see what is proved out in court? She’s under a great deal of stress, and people under stress do strange things. Who knows what stresses their marriage have been under? Adultery is often a deal-breaker, and only she knows how much this is a reflection of their marriage. Regardless of the kidnapping and rape charges, he was still at a cabin with another woman, presumably for sexual intercourse — that would be a major issue!
6. Do you think in talking to your spouse in jail that you would be able to determine for certain if he committed the crimes before it even went to trial? I doubt it — I’d be so frazzled and upset that I’d want to believe what I wanted to believe. I’d like to think I could be cool and analytical, but honestly, it’s not likely, in a case like this.
fairness
June 2nd, 2009
10:18 am
Why is this headline the question? It would appear from the facts that are known about this allegd victim that she has not only lied about this in the past but apparently was blantant enough about the lies that she was charged and convicted twice, which is rare because of law enforcement and prosecutors reluctance to charge women for because of their fear of a “chilling effect”. Since this woman has done this before the more proper and logical question is “is your spouse capable of making up a rape story and then lying about it to law enforcement, causing an innocent man to be arrested wrongfully, and required to post an $800,000 bond to be freed”? Obviously the defendant has issues with his wife, but he shouldn’t have to got to jail for them.
Patty
June 2nd, 2009
10:24 am
Are you out of your minds down there at the AJC? What kind of topic is this? Is it any wonder the bottom has fallen out of your circulation and your paper has become the laughing stock of the publishing world when you post a topic like this on your website.
If it weren’t for the sports section, you wouldn’t have a paper.
RGB
June 2nd, 2009
10:29 am
Ditto what Patty said.
What a sick topic–and one that contributes to the continuing debasement of society. No class.
Jesse's Girl
June 2nd, 2009
10:33 am
I think that by and large…people are capable of anything. If someone hurt my child….I’d have no issues whatsoever with ending their life. Thats what the insanity plea is for:) Revenge crimes are easier for me to imagine Jesse and I committing. But one of us doing something for the “fun of it” like rape, kidnapping…generally causing pain to another human without definite cause…I have trouble seeing that one.
If I were in this wife’s position…I think I would be in complete shock…too shocked to have proper brain function. I don’t think filing for divorce would come so immediately for me. Protecting my children would come first. I agree….clearly this particular man has rape fantasies that this trollop was fulfilling. I have a hard time believeing this guy raped THIS girl. I am not saying it wouldn’t happen eventually….he may indeed be messed up. And I think he does need some some mental evaluation. But so does this lunatic girl. I feel horribly for this wife…
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
June 2nd, 2009
10:39 am
Dear Patty and RGB — Please read yesterday’s topic about how can we help all the children living in slums in the world I posted a very serious topic yesterday about helping children around the world and very few people wanted to discuss it. Also I would like to point out that the READERS, not the ajc that made this news story the MOST read story of the day yesterday!! Clearly people are interested. There’s very little we can do to force people to be interested in a story they are not — case in point yesterday’s blog that tanked!
Justice for all
June 2nd, 2009
11:11 am
Why should she wait to see if hes guilty or not? The facts are this. He was in the mountains having sex with another women. Rape or not, it was sex and he should not have been there. I would have called a lawyer right away to.
And yes I would think I would know if my husband were capable of all the above.
Patiently Waiting
June 2nd, 2009
11:27 am
Hello everyone! I haven’t been here in a while, trying to learn the ropes with my now 6 month old (so I guess I’ve been away about 6 months). Anyways, I am wondering what she thought the withdrawn/less active behavior was? And how do you allow it to go on for 4-5 years without an intervention or two, or three or a hundred?
David
June 2nd, 2009
11:27 am
This is nothing but a man hating blog. You bleeding liberals scare the hell out of me. You make us all out to be potential rapist, child molesters. The problem with what you are doing is men that are totally innocent bare the blame. Wouldn’t you look like idiots if the man from Lawrenceville didn’t even do it? Shame on you. Sending a man to prison for something he didn’t do is a worse crime.
Melinda
June 2nd, 2009
11:34 am
The current news is stating that this woman “Makes up stuff”…she has on 3 occasions stated that she was either attacked or abducted/raped. It was later found she lied about the statements. So if this is true, there is a big differnce between this guy abducting and repeatedly raping this woman and having a weekend affair with her. OMG… a BIG difference. I am not saying having an affair is OK…but you go to prison for life for one and just get a divorce from an unhappy marriage for the other.
MacArthur
June 2nd, 2009
11:56 am
Yes, divorce immediately. However, this is looking more like it could be adultery, rather than an actual crime, if the woman’s past is any indication. Despite her past, if it truly is kidnapping and rape, then yeah, the guy needs to go to prison for a long time.
My first wife didn’t think I was capable of adultery and neither did I. But commit it, I did. Am I still capable of it. Yes. It is my intention not to commit it, but … Crimes, no.
Becky
June 2nd, 2009
12:02 pm
Patiently Waiting, congratulations and welcome back…
David, I don’t think that anyone on here is saying they hate men..Like Jesse’s Girl said, I think we all have potential to do something that others might not think we could do..
Like others said, if someone hurt my grandchildren in this way, I would be just like the Daddy in “A Time to Kill”, I would not have any problem seeking my own justice..I believe catlady said yesterday, that she couldn’t stand cruelty toward children or the elderly and I’m right there with her..
I have a niece that I actaully told her ex boyfriend the very first time that I met him that I would hunt him down and kill him if either one of her three children ever told me that he had touched them or hurt them in any way..
As for this guy, he may well be innocent (of rape), only time will tell..It sounds very much like this woman has issues of her own as well..
MacArthur
June 2nd, 2009
12:02 pm
By the way, people who continually make their “that’s the reason your circulation is falling” criticisms, know this: The AJC has more readers than ever. It’s income is down, its readership is up … via the Web. The real money in publishing newspapers has always been in automotive, real estate and classified advertising. All of those went into the toilet in an historic way at the same time. So, it’s not the quality of the read that is hurting the AJC, so come up with another, valid argument. Or, maybe, shut up.
oldschooldog
June 2nd, 2009
12:02 pm
Is that an earthquake? No, Ralph McGill rolling over in his grave. Covers Dixie Like the Dew indeed.
Amber
June 2nd, 2009
12:03 pm
David, I’m glad you’re standing up for the men out there and he is innocent until proven guilty, but I think what you’re hearing is FEAR talking from many of the posters. It is scary as hell to think your spouse could be capable of something like this. Because so few women are rapists, the male-bashing will probably exists until the number of rapes start going down instead of up.
Ladies, I think the reason you will never know if your husband is capable of this and the reason you would be shocked if this tragedy ever occurred are one in the same…some people have the ability to lead double lives. A double life means that who they are with you is not who they are in their other life or in different circumstances. Some women are guilty of this as well by the way.
Yes, some people just “snap” and commit violent acts (there’s a good bit of research out there on that, though it’s inconclusive why some people snap and others don’t), but some people really have the ability to create and live out different personas and personalities. You don’t have to watch a Lifetime movie to realize this.
JATL
June 2nd, 2009
12:52 pm
I think I would know if my husband were capable of this type of thing, but I think there’s always room for a little bit of doubt. We don’t truly know the mind of ANYONE, and stories like this prove it. Of course the latest I’ve heard is the woman has filed charges like this before. I (seriously) just saw a Law and Order SVU where a woman was claiming rape, but she had been on a website chatting with a man about setting up a kinky rape fantasy (the episode took a different turn), but evidently there is a sexual fetish out there involving rape fantasy and including pretty elaborate setups like this. SO, at the very least he’s guilty of a very kinky and bizarre infidelity; at the most -a disgusting crime.
Yes, I think my spouse and I both are capable of committing murder depending on the circumstances. If someone killed one of our children, we would probably be in a fight to the finish to see who would kill that mongrel first! I wouldn’t rest until I killed someone who killed my child. I would also not hesitate to drop someone if they were in my home, but I consider that self defense.
I would divorce him quickly if I were certain of his guilt, and in this case regardless -he’s either fooling around or a rapist, so I would’ve already filed papers. In a more ambiguous case, I would have to talk to him (and yes, I would talk to him in jail) and draw my own conclusions -or wait for DNA evidence if there was any.